Dalbergia melanoxylon is very rich in mycorrhizal association for propagation
A study was conducted to assess classes of mycorrhiza fungi dominating the association with Dalbergia melanoxylon a species of highly valued wood in the world, but not propagated. A total of 120 kg of soil and 120 root cuttings were sampled from Kilwa, Kilosa and Babati district to isolate mycorrhizal fungi which might be useful for regeneration of D. melanoxylon. Sampling was conducted on October 2010. Processing was done by soaking the root pieces in 1.79M KOH, and 0.1M hydrochloric acid. Staining was done by using 0.05% Trypan blue and de-stained in 14:1:1 lactic acid: glycerol: water and mounted on slides for observation using a compound microscope at 400X. Soil samples were soaked in water overnight and the mycorrhiza fungi were separated from their mantle using a stereo microscope at x50. Separated mycorrhiza were incubated in both lactophenol cotton blue and toluidine blue and observed using a compound microscope at 400X. Twenty six Ectomycorrhizae were isolated from soil rhizosphere resembled only 2 species Inocybe and Laccaria sp and 18 Endomycorrhizae were isolated from root pieces resembled only 1 species of Glomus. It was confirmed that the dominating classes of mycorrhizal fungi in D. melanoxylon are Agaricomycetes in the soil rhizosphere of the plant and Glomeromycetes in the roots of the plant. Future research should investigate mycorrhiza population and the genetic diversity of identified species for improvement of D. melanoxylon propagation.
Mkwawa University College of Education